Combined propelling and steering apparatus



' sepk. 27,1927

J. J. NOVAK COMBINEDVPRGPELLING AND STEERING APPARATUS 4 Filed Jan 20,1926 5 Sheets-Shed 1 l N V/fNTOR Juhus I. Nwak;

Sept, 27, 19270 'J. J. NOVAK COMBINED PROPELLING AND STEERING APPARATUSFiled Jan. 20, 1926' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 m S Ra/ N f N 1 A 5 U 1 L PatentedSept. 21,1927.

UNITED STA JULIUS J. I IQV'AK, OF NEW YORK,

N; Y., assronon' 'ro JOHN novax, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

COMBINED PROPELLING AND STEERING APPARATUS.

Application filed January 20, 1926. Serial No. 82,538.

This invention relates to means for steering aircraft and watercraft andmore particularly to propellers adapted for varying their direction ofaction with respect to the b craft driven theleby and to means foreffecting such variations in the action of said propellers.

An important object of the invention'is to provide apparatus adapted forchanging in ma. minimum of space, the direction of movement of a craftto which such apparatus is applied. Another important object of theinvention is to provide a propeller adapted for steering a craft andeflicient means for controllin the steering 'action of said propeller.ther objects of the invention are to provide a novel and efiicientswivelling propeller adapted for adjustment to such an '20 extent thatina limiting position'of' each blade, the plane of the blade issubstantially parallel to the axis of the propeller shaft; aconstruction comprising a pilot shaft and a universal joint connectingthe pilot shaft with the propeller shaftand including the hub of thepropeller; and a swivelling propeller construction comprising pivotalconnections-with their axesat right angles to each other and determiningthe plane of rotation of the propeller.

Apparatus constructed according to the p present invention would beuseful'in airplanes for taxying on theground when the usual ruddercontrol is not fully operative;

' as for extremely rapid maneuvers in the air;

for steering in the air when usual rudder and elevator controls are notoperat ve, as in a stalling condition; for increasing climb under.certain conditions; and for steering if by some a'ccident rudder orelevator controls broke in the air.

In dirigibles, such apparatus would be useful in altitudecontroL'aVoiding expenditure of lifting gas or ballast; in making alanding, and particularly in avoidin bad landings; in lessening thenumber 0 men re uired. to handle a dirigible in landing an in gettinginto and out of a hangar; in rapid maneuvers in the air; and in caserudder and elevator controls werefully or partially inoperative.

These being among the objects of the present invention, thesame consistsof cer .tain features of construction and combinations of parts to beand then claimed, with reference to the achereinafter describedcompanying drawings illustrating desirable embodiments of the inventionand in which- Fig. 1 is a view inside elevation illustrating oneembodiment of my invention as applied to an aeroplane.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the structure shown in ,Fig. 1.

'Fig. 3 is a view in cross section through 4 the hub of the propeller;

Fig. 4 is a view along the line IVIV of Fig. 3, looking in the directionof the arrows; I

Fig. 5 .is a view in section taken along the line VV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating another embodiment of the inventionadapted for marine use;

Fig. 7 is a rear-elevation of the pro-' peller in the position shown inFig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the marine propeller showing one of theblades in an extreme positionwith the plane of such blade substantiallyparallel to the axis of the propeller shaft.

Referring to- Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4:, and 5 of the drawings, a propeller hub1 with removable blades 2 is mounted on a driving shaft 3 by means of apivot pin 4: extending through a transverse eye 5 in the enlarged end of5 the driving shaft3; the head of the pinresting against one side of thehub 1 and having threaded on its other end an arc nut 6 which is lockedin position by screw 7. Adjacent their inner ends the detachable orremovable blades 2 are provided with substantially cylindrical portionswhich extend through collars 8 of abalancing or controlling yoke 9 whichis capable of relative rotary movement about the axes of saidcylindrical portions and are provided at their inner ends with tongues10 fitting snugly in grooves 11 in the hub 1 to prevent turning of theblades relative to the hub 1, and with bolt extensions" 12 which passinwardly through the wall of the hub 2 and are held against outwardmovement by nuts 13, which may be circular, positioned in countersinksprovided for the purpose.

Fastened rigidly to the yoke 9 midway 105 between its ends is a pilotshaft 14: which revolves freely in-roller bearings 15 which toether withthrust bearings 16 are asseni led in a journal housing 17 which haspreferably cast integrallytherewith, four no sockets 18 to receiveradial control. arms 19 of lighter material which are secured in saidsockets. Journal housing 17 is capped front cables or the like attachedto the horizontal control arms 19, and of a wheel 29 attached to saiddrum 27. v

Provision must also be made of means to prevent the control arms 19-fromturning about the axis of the shaft 3. As herein disclosed, this resultmay be effected by means Offan arcuate telescoping device 30 whichextends substantially in the arc of a circle 24 and at the same time tounwind the same having for its center the point about which thepropeller swivels. This device comprises anouter tubular portion 31connected at one end with the fuselage and also supported againstlateral movement by springs 32, and an arcuate portion. 33 slidablymounted in the portion30 and having at its outer end a ring 34 in whichturns a bushing 35 se cured on the upper end of the upper con- 'trol armso that its axis will pass through the point about which the propellerswivels.

It will be seen that the pivotal connect-ion between the hub land theshaft 3 and the pivotal connections of the yoke 9 with the lnner ends ofthe propeller blades 2 provide a universal joint structure in which thetwo pivotal axes intersect at right angles, and

. the position of the pilot shaft 14 determines the plane ofrotation ofthe blades and congpently the steering action of the proer. i 7 When thepilot desires to turn the aeroplane upwardly, he turns the control wheel26 so as to wind the cable 20 on the drum length of the cable 21. Thiscauses the upper arm 19 to be moved toward the fuselage and the lowerarm to be moved away there from, thus shifting the housing 17 .to swingthe pilot shaft 14 through the required vertic'al angle and therebydetermine the direction of action of the propeller. The control forhorizontal change of direction of the aeroplane is obtained in the sameway by the control wheel 29.

The foregoing description applies to an embodiment of the invention asapplied to a single propeller aeroplane having wings 36 and landing gear37. It should beunderstood, however, that the invention may equally wellbe applied to an aeroplane having a plurality of propellers.

. An embodiment of the invention as ap- 40 comprises four blades4l-secured to a plied to marine propulsion is illustrated in Figs. 6, 7and 8. In this form the propeller propeller 40, provision is made of ayoke 46.

pivotally secured to the hub 42 by suitable means, such as screws 47 andhaving a rearward extension 48 journalled in a steeringmember 49 andsecured thereto by means including a nut 50. The steering member 49 hasa journal portion 51 mounted in a bearing 52 in-the rearward overhang ofthe stern of the vessel and in such a position that the axis of thejournal portion 51 when extended passes through the swivelling point ofthe p opeller. As herein disclosed the steering member 49 may be turnedby an operating member orhandle 53 fixed thereto. To permit lubricationof the connections, provision is made of an oil cup 54 connected by oilducts 55, with the extension 48 of the yoke 46 and With the pivot screws47. Such. oil ducts may also be provided to lubricate the bearingportions of the bolt'44.

As shown inFig. 8, the blades of the propeller are arranged at angles of45 with the plane of rotation of the propeller 40 and when the propelleris swung about a vertical axis through an angle of 45, the blades will,during the rotation ofv the propeller as sume limiting, positions inwhich they act in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the propeller andin oppositepositions which they exert no side thrust on the propellershaft. It will be evident that by shifting the plane of rotation of thepropeller a strong steering act-ion is obtained and that such steeringapparatus will also be effective when the inclination of the bladesdiffers from the 45 angle of the illustrative form and where the planeof rotation of the propeller is shifted through a different angle.

The foregoing detailed description has. been given for clearness ofunderstanding, and no undue limitation should be deduced therefrom, butthe appended claims should be construed as broadly as possible,'in viewof the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, I 7

member pivotally connected with said hub to swing about an axissubstantlally perpendiculartobut in the same plane as thepivotallyconne'cted directly with said proaxis of the pivotal'conncctionbetween the hub and the propeller shaft j v2. In combined propelling andst'eerin apparatus,.-'a propeller shaft, a propeller hu collarswithprovision for relative rotation. 3'. In combined propelling andsteermg apparatus, a propeller shaft, a propeller pivotally connecteddirectly with said shaft,

two propeller blades secured to said hub on opposite sides thereof,andhaving base portions, and a steering member fitting over the huband'having openings in which said base portions of the blades have arelative rotary fit to provide a pivotal connection between the hub andthe steering member.

.4. In combined propelling and steering apparatus, in combination, apropeller shaft, apilot shaft, a universal joint between said shafts,said universal jointincluding a propeller hub as one of its elements,and means for shifting the pilot shaft in a plurality of differentplanes and thereby shifting the plane of rotation of the propelleraccord ingly. 1

5.In combined propelling and steering apparatus for air and water craft,in combma'tion, a propeller shaft, a pilot shaft, :1

universal ]01I1t between said shafts, said uni-- versal joint includinga propeller hub as one of its elements, and means for shifting the pilotshaft to change the direction of action of the propeller, comprising abearing in which said pilot shaft turns and radial control armsprojecting from the pilot shaft bearin 6. In com ined propelling andsteering.

apparatus for air and water craft, in combination, a propeller shaft,apilot shaft, a universal joint connecting said shafts, said jointhaving intersecting peependicular pivotal axes and including as one ofits elements a propeller hub for carrying the blades of the propeller,andmeans for shifting the pilot shaft to change the direction of actionof the propeller, comprising a bearing in which said pilot shaft turns,radial control arms extending from said hearing to the plane of rotationof the propeller,

- operating means connected with said radial armsat'points'substantially in said plane of rotation and means for preventingrotation of said hearing from which said arms project.

7. In combined propelling, and steering apparatus for air andwatercraft, incomblnation, a propeller shaft, a pilot shaft, a universalioint connecting said shafts, said the bearing in which said pilot shaftturns, ra

dial control arms, and" means, includlng a telescopic device connectedwith the body ofthe'craft, forpreventing turning of the radial armsaround the'axis of the propeller shaft. I a

8. In combined propelling and steering apparatus, the combination withafpropeller shaft, of a propeller comprising ahub directly pivotedtosaid shaft; to swing about a pivotal axisperpendicular to the axis ofthe propeller shaft, a pilot shaft pivotally attached to said hub toswing about a pivotal axis perpendicular to both the first mentionedpivotaljaxis and the axis of propellershaft at their point ofintersection, and

means to swing the pilot shaft in different; directions to steerhorizontally and vertically.

Y i, 9. In acombined propelling and steering apparatus,flthe combinationwith a driving shaft, of a propeller having a hub directly pivoted tosaid drivin shaft along an axis passing throughthe axis of the drivingshaft and a pair of opposed propeller bla es ar- Ian ed on a lineperpendicular to the axis of t e hub pivot at its intersection withthedriving' shaft axis, a yoke, the ends of which rotatably embrace baseportions of said blades to form a pivotalconnection with;

the hub and complete a universal joint connection, and means forshifting said yoke in different directions to vary the plane of rotationof the propeller blades with reference to the drivingshaft.

10. In combined propelling and steering loo apparatus for air and watercraft,'in combi- I nation, a proller shaft, a pilot shaft, a universaljoint between said shafts and including as one of its elements apropeller hub for carrying the blades of the propeller and within whichhub the two pivotal axes intersect, and means for shifting the pilotshaft vertically and horizontally and thereby shifting the plane ofrotation of the propeller and guiding the 'craft' vertically andhorizontally. V

11. Iii combined propelling and steering apparatus for air and watercraft, in cor 'iination,'a propeller shaft, a pilot shaft, a universaljoint between said shafts and including as one of its elements apropeller hub for carrying the blades of the propeller, and means forshifting the pilot shaft to change the direction of action of thepropeller, comprising a bearing in which said pilot shaft turns, pairsof opposite radial control arms projecting from the pilot shaft bearing,two flexible control elements connected'respectively with the arms ofone of said pairs, and a control drum for winding up either one of saidflexible elements and at the same peller} comprising a' bearing in whichsaid pilot shaft turns, horizontal and vertical radial control armsextending to the plane of rotation of the propelleryindependentoperating means connected with said hori- I zontal and vertical radialarms, and means for preventing rotation of said hearing from which saidarms project;

13. In combined propelling andsteering apparatus for air and watercraft, in combination, a propeller shaft, a pilot shaft, a universaljoint having intersecting pivotal axes and including as one of' itselements a propeller hub for carrying the blades ofthe propeller, meansfor shiftingthe pilot shaft vertically and horizontally to change thedirection of action of the propeller and comprisin a bearing in whichsaid pilot shaft turnsjhorizontal and vertical radial control arms,and-means, including atelescopic device'connecting the upper verticalcontrol -arm with the body ofthe craft for preventing turning of theradialv arms around the axis of the propeller shaft. I

14. In combined apparatus for air or Water craft a propeller comprisingblades "and a hub therefor; a driving shaft; a swivelling support forsaid propeller comprising a pivotal connection between thehub and thedriving shaft along an axis substantially in the plane of rotation ofsaid propeller blades, a. pilot shaft, and a pivotal connection betweensaid pilot shaft and said hub along an axis lying substantially in theplane of rotation of said blades;

and means for varying the axial relation-v ship between said pilot shaftand driving shaft for steering vertically or horizontally.

JULIUS J. NOVAK.

propelling and steering

